


Chance Encounters

by Willow_River



Series: Tale of the Forest [1]
Category: Thrilling Intent (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Enchanted Forest, Alternate Universe - Fae, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fae & Fairies, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-12
Updated: 2016-08-12
Packaged: 2018-08-08 06:26:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7746622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willow_River/pseuds/Willow_River
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aesling is a (relatively) young faun living in a forest inhabited by the fae. It's a quiet life, mostly, until humans decide to come in and cause trouble.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chance Encounters

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Thrilling Intent Fantasy AU](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/220873) by Aisling. 



There’s something comforting about the sight of sunlight filtering through a thin canopy of leaves. Aesling thought so, at least. Thin shafts of golden light caressed over her freckled cheeks and her eyelids fluttered. One ear flicked a few times to dislodge a scrap of moss that was tickling the tip of it. 

Looking around, she spotted the river that she’d found the previous night and splashed her face a few times, taking a moment to absorb her blurry reflection in the water. Did she have more freckles than before? Possibly. A tiny cluster of paperwhites seemed to have grown over each ear overnight as well. She plucked the little blossoms from her hair and stuffed them into the little pouch at her side before getting back on her hooves and wandering off downstream.

Days like this were Aesling’s favourite sort. It was the middle of summer and extremely warm in the clearings, with not a cloud to be seen in the sky. None of the birds were giving off any alarm calls and the local pixies seemed to be on their best behaviour today, only occasionally making odd sounds to confuse the young faun or dropping acorns just shy of her head. Everything seemed fine. 

So why was Aesling so on edge?

There was another little while of walking before she caught it; the distinct scent of a human. There were signs of one having been through the area too, if she looked close enough. Broken ferns and crushed moss, even the bark of one of the trees showed signs of disturbance with some of its lichen wiped away.

Aesling glared. Fingering the dagger at her belt, she crept along the rough path the human had taken, her ears all but pinned to the sides of her head. There was a point in the forest where the ground dipped like a large bowl and the bracken, for whatever reason, grew more dense. 

Luck was not on her side, it seemed, for after two steps a rock slipped out from under her and she lost her footing. With a bump, a roll, a tumble, and a thump, Aesling found herself at the bottom of the little gulley. She rubbed at her head and groaned while she tried to right her legs beneath herself.

CLANK! A bolt of pain ran up her right leg from just above the ankle and the faun let out a high pitched yelp before she could muffle herself. Several curses slipped between her fingers as she gingerly leaned over to assess the problem.

There was a deer trap clamped on her leg. Well, that’s just great. It was a strong one too, because no amount of prying or tugging could make it loosen its grip and only served to give Aesling sore fingers in addition to a now bleeding leg.

A rustling came from her left, suddenly. She whirled around to face it, dagger in hand, momentarily forgetting her predicament and quickly finding herself on her side and clutching at her leg in pain.

From the bushes emerged a man with black hair and dead eyes trained on Aesling. Behind him was another man, this one with blond hair, and a woman with hair just as dark as the first man’s. All three had guns in their hands. All three were pointed at Aesling.

“Huh, so she did fall right into it,” the first one stated in a disinterested monotone.

“That’s fifty gilde you owe me, Thog,” the blonde replied with a smirk, his blue eyes flicking from the faun on the ground to the black-haired man and back again. He tilted his head at her, grin never leaving his face, and slowly approached. “She’s a pretty one too. Probably fetch a good price in several markets.” His eyes roamed up and down her form in a way that Aesling most certainly did not like.

Aesling responded by snarling at the man, lashing out with her dagger as she spat a curse at him in Sylvan. The sudden movement sent another wave of pain up her leg, making her wince audibly, but she held her glare steady and her dagger at her side.

The woman pulled the blonde back. “Don’t be an idiot, Moren! Just because she’s a faun doesn’t mean she’s not dangerous. At least get that dagger away from her first.”

Aesling noticed that the woman’s eyes were similar to the first man’s. They shared a few other similar features as well. Siblings? Whatever. There were better things to think about, like how to escape.

The man apparently named Thog raised his gun and appeared to take aim at Aesling when suddenly a large green mass swung down and clocked him over the back of his head. He was knocked prone and fumbled for his gun while his companions looked around to find what had hit him. 

Aesling looked into the tree directly above them. There, on one of the lower branches, was perched a naga with shimmering green scales and bright blonde hair. He wore a sinister grin on his face, displaying his pointed teeth as casually menacing as possible.

“Well, well, hello there. Now, what are a bunch of humans doing in the fey woods? Don’t you know it’s not safe here?” 

The blonde human, Moren, was visibly quaking in his boots, and Thog was struggling to aim his gun properly at the snake-like being above him. The pixies had come to their aid, whizzing about the humans’ heads and tugging at whatever they could get ahold of in an effort to distract them while Aesling returned her attentions to the trap holding her in place.  
The woman, however, was unphased by the tiny creatures darting about her and merely swatted them away and trained her gun on the naga, firing almost too soon for her to have taken proper aim. The shot went wide and bark beside the naga exploded from the tree as the monstrous beast lunged at the woman, fangs bared and slitted eyes flashing dangerously.

The humans screamed. Aesling looked up from the trap, and they were running. Well, she thought to herself, that’s one problem down. Doubt I’ll be so lucky with this naga, though.

The creature looked up at her curiously, and never turned away as his body slithered gracefully down the tree. 

He loomed over her. 

His hands reached towards her. Past her. Found their way to the metal contraption still binding her foot. Aesling closed her eyes and stiffened as she heard the clattering sound of the device being disabled. 

A moment passed. Then another. Did she dare open her eyes?

“I won’t hurt you,” the naga’s voice told her gently, slightly farther away than she’d expected. 

Aesling peeked her eyes open. The naga was in a relaxed position, a respectful ten feet from her, and seemed to be intentionally blinking slowly so as to ease her fears.

“I don’t eat humanoids, if that’s what you’re worried about. Too fighty. Broke three ribs last time I tried.”

Aesling scooted back, never letting her eyes leave the naga. “Give me one good reason why I should believe you.” Her dagger hand was held close against her chest, knuckles white.

The naga shrugged. “I can’t really give you any sort of reason that you would believe just like that. I mean, aside from the fact that I haven’t eaten you yet, despite having ample opportunity.”

She couldn’t argue there, but then again, some fae liked to play with their food. There was one way to be sure, however. “What’s your name?”

And now the naga smiled. It wasn’t predatory, like how he’d smiled at the hunters, but rather warm. His eyes took on a strange soft quality that she’d never heard of in nagas before. “I am Markus Tannhauser Velafi. A pleasure,” he added with a graceful little bow and showy wave of his hand.

The faun squinted her eyes, her freckled nose wrinkling slightly, before she let the tension in her shoulders release. “Aesling. I don’t suppose you could help me find someplace safe to rest, could you? The hunters could be back, and I doubt I could move very far in this state.” She gestured to her injured leg.

“Of course! Anything for a pretty fauness in need,” he said with a wink. “You don’t mind piggyback rides, do you?”

Aesling blinked, slightly taken aback. “Um… no.”

“Excellent!” Markus slithered up to Aesling and scooped her up, depositing her near the top of his long scaly tail. “Just hold on tight. This gets a little fast sometimes.”

Aesling wrapped her arms around the naga’s waist and the two sped off into the trees. The faun was amazed as trees and underbrush flashed past her. It was dizzying, if she was honest. The moment the naga came to a stop by a shallow cave, she stumbled off of his tail and laid flat on the ground for a moment, staring up at the canopy and willed the world to be still.

“Sorry,” Markus said, peeking into the corner of Aesling’s vision. “I forget most non-winged fae aren’t used to moving so quickly…. Are you alright?”

“I’ll be fine. Where are we?” Aesling sat up and took a look around them, her stomach and vision finally settling.

Markus grinned again and made a grand sweeping gesture with his arms. “Welcome to my home sweet home! It’s not much, but it keeps me out of the rain. What’s mine is yours, Ashe, if you want it. Can I call you Ashe?”

The faun blinked, taking it all in. A predatory fae inviting her into his home? Highly suspicious. Then again, he checked out. Ah, what the hell. It was almost dark out anyway, and it was going to rain soon, if the scent on the air was any indication.

“Sure, Markus. Thank you.” She gave him a tentative smile, and he supported her into the cave. With all the cushioning material scattered across the floor and the heat trapped inside, it was probably the most comfortable night’s sleep the young faun had had since leaving her mother’s side.


End file.
